Thousands flee floods in World Cup host history

SAO PAULO (AP) - Floods have killed nine people and driven tens of thousands of people from their homes while swelling rivers to record levels in southern Brazil and neighboring Paraguay and Argentina, authorities said Tuesday, but so far they have not affected preparations for soccer's World Cup.

The civil defense department in Brazil's Parana state said that 132 cities have been flooded there, including the state capital of Curitiba that will host four World Cup games.

It said 13,000 people have been forced to evacuate due to torrential rains upstream.

Curitiba City Hall spokesman Alvaro Borba said the Arena da Baixada stadium, the training center, hotels and tourist sites are nowhere near the Borigui river that overflowed its banks. He said the Spanish national team has been training normally and forecasters said rains are not expected when the stadium hosts its first Cup encounter on June 16, when Iran meets Nigeria.

Other teams playing in the city are Iran, Honduras, Ecuador, Australia, Algeria and Russia.

The torrential rainfalls of recent days also have caused widespread flooding in Argentina and Paraguay, where officials said about 100,000 people had been forced to evacuate.

The Iguazu and Parana rivers that Brazil shares with Paraguay and Argentina rose to historic levels, forcing authorities to open two major hydroelectric dams above the world-renowned Iguazu Falls, where the water flow increased nearly 30-fold, from 1,500 cubic meters per second to 43,000 meters per second, topping the previous record of 36,000 set in 1992.

The park's viewing areas were closed to tourists and employees removed walkways that would otherwise be destroyed. On the Brazil side, the rising water swallowed the cement viewing platform where thousands of tourists usually take selfies below the "Garganta del Diablo," or Devil's Throat.

Floodgates also had to be opened to avoid damaging the Yacreta and Itaipu hydroelectric dams that Paraguay shares with Argentina and Brazil upstream from the triple border. Hundreds of riverside homes were flooded, particularly in and around Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, which lies directly downstream from the falls.

Comments

In all of my experiences, people from Brazil are the most polite and appreciative that I have met. I work in a Hotel in southeast Florida and I have met thousands of Brazilians. I really sympathize with them.

LOL Boy are there some loonies on here or what ? So many ignorant people. Just a heads up beavus and buttheads, Brazil is one of the wonders of the earth. Without it the world would be a very different place

we know that this rain is being cause by 'climate change'we know if there had been no rain it too would have been caused by 'climate change'we know if this type of rain is common or if it is uncommon - it is being caused by climate change.

please donate today - no matter what happens - its evidence climate change is destroying the planet (hey, I'm just beating the nutjobs to the claim)

Brazil is super blessed with friendly folk and natural beauty. The titles for this article are bonkers. What does "Thousands Flee Floods in World Cup Host History" mean? Did they want to say city instead of history? The nine people killed (RIP) are not identified if they were in Brazil or Argentina or Paraguay. To my knowledge the games are all played in Brazil. The line on cover read "What this means for soccer teams." The article describes the teams are there and practicing meaning this horrible disaster does not touch the World Cup. HuffPo is so sensationalistic and untrustworthy.

I wonder what some of you will say when the floods hit us. We are no better then anyone else. Brasil is a wonderful country with lots of good people. It's sad to hear you floks make comments like that.

buzios3 4 hours ago"I wonder what some of you will say when the floods hit us. We are no better then anyone else. Brasil is a wonderful country with lots of good people. It's sad to hear you floks make comments like that."

Meanwhile: How wonderful is this statement about Brazil?Poverty, the work force, substance abuse, and general homelessness in Brazil are just a few of the many influences that affect the lives of street children.